Thread: What are Good Mornings?

A good morning is where you put a barbell on your upper back/traps and then perform a stiff legged deadlift type movement - bending forward at the waist to work the hamstrings, glutes and lower back.

IMO this is among one of the worst exercises you could do - very high risk of injury to the neck plus you're placing a load on your upper back and flexing your spine forward which is begging for a lower back injury. There are lots of exercises that can hit the same muscles in a much safer way.

I'm thinking the term comes from the traditional Oriental greeting (i.e. Bowing at the waist). I could be wrong but the movement seems to mimic that action. Only difference being that instead of saying "good morning", I usually end up saying something like, "OH JESUS GOD HELP ME PLEASE!!!"

http://www.exrx.net/Articulations/Hip.html#anchor845621

Done correctly I think this is an excellent exercise.

Originally Posted by ponyboy

IMO this is among one of the worst exercises you could do - very high risk of injury to the neck plus you're placing a load on your upper back and flexing your spine forward which is begging for a lower back injury. There are lots of exercises that can hit the same muscles in a much safer way.

I agree.

i always think of "good morning" because youre showing your ass to people.

< Good morning!

Originally Posted by Witmaster

I'm thinking the term comes from the traditional Oriental greeting (i.e. Bowing at the waist). I could be wrong but the movement seems to mimic that action. Only difference being that instead of saying "good morning", I usually end up saying something like, "OH JESUS GOD HELP ME PLEASE!!!"

This deserved 3 smileys!!! Love your avi to death. I love weimaraners. I want one soooooooooooooooooo bad

Originally Posted by ponyboy

A good morning is where you put a barbell on your upper back/traps and then perform a stiff legged deadlift type movement - bending forward at the waist to work the hamstrings, glutes and lower back.

IMO this is among one of the worst exercises you could do - very high risk of injury to the neck plus you're placing a load on your upper back and flexing your spine forward which is begging for a lower back injury. There are lots of exercises that can hit the same muscles in a much safer way.

I think it's fine, as long as you don't play around. Do it in a rack, and if you feel the slightest bit off when you're going down, put the bar on the rack and start over. Most other exercises cannot compare when it comes to working the posterior chain, in my opinion. Also, it requires serious core strength to keep your torso rigid.

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s.asp?exid=167

That's another good link to show proper form.

I actually love the GM now, I dont go down as far as these guys any longer (used to). I do them in a power rack, and I bend my knees a bit more than shown.

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/images/abgm.mpg

I hate Good Morning's and I find there are plenty of other exercises that can be done to work your lower back that are just as good, if not better. I know more than a few people who have hurt their backs doing Good Morning's so I stay away from them.

i love them. just make sure to keep your lower back arched inwards (as opposed to hunched over) or else you'll hurt yourself

I did GMs for the first time last Tuesday in lieu of SLDLs (for hams). I used the bar and collars (no wts). Did not feel it much and did not want to go too heavy. I noticed in the video, the guy was using quite a bit of wt. If I normally SLDL with 260-280, approx. what wt should I be using for GMs?

I have a rack so I plan on performing them in the rack.

Start with a warmup and work your way up, but unless you are an oddball you will be using much less weight, 25-30% or so.

Good-mornings work both the spinal erectors (and general trunk) and the glutes & hams. Do you do them on back or leg day?

I do mine on leg day.

Originally Posted by shutupntra1n

This deserved 3 smileys!!! Love your avi to death. I love weimaraners. I want one soooooooooooooooooo bad

Thanks SNT,

We love them too. We had a breeding pair but lost our male to cancer a few months ago

Our Female is still a huge source of life in our home. By far one of the best breeds anyone could own.

Originally Posted by Phred

I did GMs for the first time last Tuesday in lieu of SLDLs (for hams). I used the bar and collars (no wts). Did not feel it much and did not want to go too heavy. I noticed in the video, the guy was using quite a bit of wt. If I normally SLDL with 260-280, approx. what wt should I be using for GMs?

I have a rack so I plan on performing them in the rack.

Yeah, what Mudge said. I SLDL 265 for reps and my GM 1 rep max right now is 205 so there's a big difference.

Originally Posted by rock4832

Yeah, what Mudge said. I SLDL 265 for reps and my GM 1 rep max right now is 205 so there's a big difference.

I did GMs in lieu of SLDL on leg day. I will warm up and move the wt up slowly. I did not want to go to heavy and risk injuring my back. Thx for the approx wts I should be using (all things being normal). I WO at home so I was looking for alternate exercises for the hamies.

thx again.

A good morning is when you wake up and the wildabeast from the bar last night is gone.

i do good mornings but it makes my traps hurt cause i did them 2 days before in my workout

Neo

Originally Posted by sgtneo

i do good mornings but it makes my traps hurt cause i did them 2 days before in my workout

Neo

Try setting the bar on your posterior deltoids. Until very recently, I had been placing the bar about where my traps are. This make a noticeable difference in overall feel of the exercise.